1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to ink-jet print cartridges, to ink-jet printers, and more particularly, relates to loading and unloading an ink-jet print cartridge into and from such a printer by use of substantially only a horizontal relative translational motion. Further, this invention relates to such an ink-jet printer having a flexible circuit with multiple conductors and contact pads that serves to electrically connect signals between the printer and an ink-jet print cartridge carried in a carriage of the printer. The carriage and flexible circuit cooperatively allow for selectively controlled relative movements so that the flexible circuit is not buckled or distorted as a result of such factors as manufacturing variabilities in these components of the printer. While accommodating these selected relative movements between the flexible circuit and carriage, these components cooperatively define an instant center such that the location of the array of contact pads is determined and certain relative to the carriage, insuring reliable and repeatable electrical contact between these contact pads and the electrical contacts of an ink-jet print cartridge received into the carriage.
2. Related Technology
The general construction and operation of an ink-jet print cartridge Is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,295, entitled xe2x80x9cThermal Ink Jet Pen Body Construction Having Improved Ink Storage and Feed Capacity,xe2x80x9d by Baker, et al., issued Sep. 13, 1988.
The general design and construction of an ink-jet printer with a carriage that retain and align ink-jet print cartridges in printers and scan these print cartridges through print zones is well known. Examples of the patents that have issued in this field of technology include: U.S. Pat. 4,755,836, entitled xe2x80x9cPrinthead Cartridge and Carriage Assembly,xe2x80x9d by Ta, et al., issued Jul. 5, 1988; U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,026, entitled xe2x80x9cInk-jet Printer with Printhead Carriage Alignment Mechanism,xe2x80x9d by Rasmussen, et al., issued Oct. 3, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,018, entitled xe2x80x9cPrinthead-Carriage Alignment and Electrical Interconnect Lock-in Mechanism,xe2x80x9d by Pinkerpell, issued Mar. 6, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,063, entitled xe2x80x9cSpring Cartridge Clamp for Inkjet Printer Carriage,xe2x80x9d by Rhoads, issued Feb. 21, 1995, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,097, by Harmon, entitled, xe2x80x9cNear-linear Spring Connect Structure for Flexible Interconnect Circuits,xe2x80x9d dated Nov. 10, 1987.
Prior ink-jet printers, and prior ink-jet print cartridges have been designed to be loaded and unloaded into and from the carriages of these printers either by relatively moving the cartridge vertically, or by moving the cartridge substantially vertically along with a steep, inclined, arcuate motion. Such ink-jet printer and cartridge designs have proven to be satisfactory as long as vertical access to the printer is provided. Such vertical access is generally provided by configuring the printer to be a desk-top device, and by providing the printer with a door or lid that opens to allow access vertically downwardly into the printer. This conventional printer design has meant, however, that access to the printer from vertically above had to remain unrestricted, and that nothing could be permanently stacked on top of a conventional printer.
Further, previous top loading ink-jet printer designs have fostered an increasing growth in printer height so that with each new printer design, the profile height of the conventional printers increased.
On the other hand, it is believed that users of ink-jet printers want a printer for home use that can be stacked in an entertainment center or used unobtrusively in a living room. This user desire requires an ink-jet printer that has both a flat top and bottom, that is xe2x80x9cfront loading,xe2x80x9d which also has all controls and status indicators on the front panel, and that is about the same size as a conventional stereo amplifier or a video cassette recorder (VCR). In other words, users desire an ink-jet printer for home use which has an overall height of about four inches (4xe2x80x3) or less.
Such requirements for an ink-jet printer cause many design challenges. First, as is pointed out above, nearly all existing ink-jet printers and ink-jet cartridges use interface structures for receiving and locating the ink-jet cartridge within a movable carriage of the printer, that require substantially vertical movements of the cartridge into and out of the carriage. These interface structures are sometimes referred to as xe2x80x9cdatum structures,xe2x80x9d and on present day conventional ink-jet print printers and print cartridges are designed for vertical or near vertical installation of the print cartridge.
Moreover, front or horizontal loading of an ink-jet cartridge into an ink-jet printer has not heretofore been contemplated, so structures and methods to successfully implement a front or horizontal loading of the cartridge do not exist. Additionally, on a front loading printer the user""s view into the printer during cartridge installation will necessarily be quite restricted. The user will be able to see considerably less of the printer carriage, and less of the loading process, than is the case with top loading conventional printers. Third, physical access to the printer carriage will be more limited with front loading of the printer cartridge into the printer. Fourth, if multiple print cartridges are used by the printer, they must sit so close together in the printer carriage that much of the gripping surfaces of the cartridges are unavailable for loading or unloading the print cartridges into and from the printer.
Thus, it is apparent from the foregoing that although there are many different conventional ink-jet printer cartridge and carriage designs, no acceptable design exists for implementing a front loading, stackable, ink-jet printer of low overall height. Thus, such a horizontally loadable ink-jet printer presents many challenges.
In view of the deficiencies of the related conventional technology, an object for this invention is to reduce or eliminate one or more of these deficiencies.
Briefly and in general terms, an ink-jet print cartridge, and ink-jet printer method and apparatus according to the invention includes a generally rectangular prismatic print cartridge, a pair of elongate supporting lips located on opposite side walls of the print cartridge, a carriage, a chute mounted on the carriage for receiving the print cartridge, and a pair of spaced apart guide structures at side walls of the chute for guiding the print cartridge horizontally into a selected determined engagement with the carriage.
In operation, when a user places an ink-jet print cartridge at the entrance of the chute and presses it horizontally into the printer, the cooperative structural features of the printer and print cartridge result in horizontal loading of the print cartridge into the carriage by translating the print cartridge horizontally forward into the carriage, engaging a lip on the print cartridge with a guide rail on the carriage, sliding the print cartridge up and over a datum structure on the carriage with the guide rail by effecting selected pitching motions of the cartridge, and then latching the print cartridge in the carriage. When a user wants to unload a print cartridge from the printer, the user pushes downwardly on an exposed rear portion of the print cartridge, and by so doing rotates a rear end of the cartridge downwardly, unlatching the print cartridge. The user can then grasp exposed gripping surfaces of the print cartridge and slide the cartridge horizontally out of the carriage. As the user pulls the print cartridge outwardly from the carriage, the cooperating structural features of the printer carriage and print cartridge prevent the cartridge from tumbling out of the carriage, rotates the print cartridge about a datum on the carriage and disengages the datum structures of the carriage and cartridge (i.e., by selected pitching motions of the cartridge), and then allows horizontal translation of the print cartridge out of the carriage.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of selected preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the principles of the invention by way of example. Throughout the accompanying drawing Figures, like reference numerals indicate either the same feature, or features which are analogous in structure or function.